Five ways digital assistants can help you save time around the home

There’s been so much hype surrounding digital assistants lately that you’re probably on a first name basis with Siri, Alexa, Google and Cortana – and if you’re someone who uses voice assistants regularly, you’ll be well aware of how beneficial digital assistants can prove to be.

If you’re still on the fence about embracing the digital assistant life, check out the latest installment of our #amaysimHacks series for the lowdown on how these gadgets can help save you time around the home.

automate and schedule your daily tasks

No matter which assistant you’re using, being able to automate a variety of common daily tasks such as alarms, notifications and calendar reminders is changing the way many of us handle life-admin when at home.

Simply put in a request such as “Hey Google, set my morning alarm to 8am Monday to Friday” and you’re good to go.

Where it gets really interesting however, is the fact you can now sync your chosen digital assistant with other gadgets to create a fully integrated smart home – more on this below!

build and control your smart home

One of the most exciting features of today’s group of digital assistants is the way they can connect with other Wi-Fi enabled gadgets throughout your smart home.

The Amazon Echo range for instance integrates with a variety of home automation hubs, such as Wink, Insteon, and SmartThings.

The voice commands you’ll need to use differ somewhat based on the device you’re using and the apps you’ve linked to them, however here are a few examples of how you can control your smart home using voice commands:

Hey Alexa, turn the bedroom lights on.

Ok Google, dim the bedroom lights to 50%.

Alexa, turn the heat up to 25

Hey Google, turn video mode on the tv

Turn your assistant into a personal sous chef

Sick and tired of getting your old cooking books, or tablet greasy as you’re cooking in the kitchen – well you’re in luck!